Fiordland National Park Birds

A bold, upright insectivorous songbird with pale underparts and warm brown upperparts. In Fiordland toutouwai are often habituated around trailheads and campsites, where they perch low and glean insects from leaf litter.

Look for a tame, upright robin with a pale belly, warm brown back, alert posture and sharp, melodic calls; often hops on low perches or the ground searching for invertebrates.

Common Confusions

• Tomtit Petroica macrocephala Tomtit is darker and finer-billed with a more compact shape; South Island robin displays paler underparts and bolder ground foraging.
• Black Robin Petroica traversi Black robin is rare and darker overall; most robins encountered in Fiordland are the common South Island robin.
• Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa Fantail has a long fanned tail and bubbly flight, whereas robin perches more upright and gleans insects from the ground.